Pirelli has always been adept at interpreting the present and anticipating the future, balancing innovation and tradition. At a time when tennis is experiencing a new golden age, the Italian company has chosen to step into the game as the Official Tyre Partner of the Australian Open. This decision highlights Pirelli's ability to capture global trends and position itself at the center of the international stage.
The partnership with the Australian Open is a multi-year agreement that began with this year's edition, which kicked off on January 12 in Melbourne. After motorsports, football, sailing, and skiing, Pirelli enters tennis, supporting the Grand Slam and leveraging this high-profile showcase to promote its brand worldwide.
Andrea Casaluci, CEO of Pirelli: “For Pirelli, the Australian Open represents a very important opportunity for visibility because of the great interest in tennis at the global level. In particular, the sponsorship will help increase awareness of our brand in Australia which is a market with a high concentration of prestige cars. Precisely in Melbourne, home of the tournament, in 2019 we opened a Pirelli P Zero World, our flagship store model currently present in only four other cities in the world".
PIRELLI'S CONNECTION WITH TENNIS
Pirelli's relationship with tennis dates back to the 1930s when the company began producing tennis balls, until the 1970s. Pirelli's "Super Extra" balls were authorized by the Italian Tennis Federation for national and international competitions, and in the Davis Cup. In the 1950s, production was consolidated at the Seregno plant, where yellow and orange tennis balls adapted to every pitch. These balls became part of popular culture, partly due to Pirelli's advertising campaigns. One of the most prominent designers was Dutch graphic artist Bob Noorda, whose clean lines resembled a tennis court or the motion of a serve.
PIRELLI AND SPORT: BEYOND MOTORSPORTS
Pirelli's passion for sports has always been a hallmark of its history, as evidenced by its involvement in various disciplines. Starting with motorsports, where the Milan-based company has competed since 1907, Pirelli is now present in over 350 competitions and has been the Global Tyre Partner of the FIA Formula 1© World Championship since 2011, a partnership recently extended until at least 2027. Beyond motorsports, Pirelli is the Global Tyre Partner of Inter Milan, a sponsor of leading cycling teams worldwide, the FISI (Italian Winter Sports Federation), and was a key partner of Luna Rossa in the last two editions of the America's Cup.
